Coumba Sidibé is one of the pioneering forces
of that new generation
of female singers from the Wassoulou region in the South of Mali, that emerged
at the end of the 1980s, along with
Oumou Sangaré, Kagbe Sidibé,
Sali Sidibé and others. Different from the until then
dominant malinké praise singers, these young artists addressed contemporary
issues in their lyrics, such as social problems. Although the singers are mainly
Peul they are singing in the wassoulou dialect of the bambara language.
The pentatonic wassoulou music itself is very distinct from malinke music and is
reminiscent of the rhythms of Malian hunter music played with
the Dozon N'Goni (hunter's lute), but using instead the smaller Kamelen
N'Goni (6-string youth lute). Other instruments used are the traditional one-string
violon, the soukou, the M'Bolon, djembé and also the electric guitar.
The rhythms are repetitive and hypnotising,
but there is room for improvisation on the string instruments.

Coumba sung from the age of seven, and started her
professional career in the Ensemble Instrumental National du Mali in the 1970s.
Her voice is rougher and jazzier than that of Oumou Sangaré, but less
"arabic" flavoured than Sali Sidibé's voice. Although well-known
in Mali, she never quite made it to international fame thusfar. Her recordings aren't
that well distributed internationally, but a few songs can be found on the two
Wassoulou Sound samplers released by Stern's Music.
Sadly, Coumba has passed away in New York, where she lived since years, on the 9th of May, 2009.